There’s this constant buzz about not everyone having access to affordable, healthy food. Well, bologna!!! All of this was under $30 and mostly organic. You can’t tell me that Sprouts grocery store in Whittier,Ca is not accessible, well except maybe the small parking lot.

Smile, Eat healthy! No excuses! Look at all of those beautiful colors. I’ll post recipes after I decide what I’m mixing today.

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I’ve always wanted to be a mom. Being one of the oldest grandchildren I remember watching very carefully as my aunts and uncles raised my cousins, always excited when I could step in and help. My sister, being the oldest, was always recognized as the nurturer and “natural mother”, which she is, but I would watch from a distance with much anticipation of one day having my own children.

I was helping my sister babysit when we were just 8 and 10, which is unheard of these days, and by 12 I babysat our neighbors kids on a regular basis.

When I got to college, I immediately met a family with two kids, who quickly became my second family, that I babysat once or twice a week as a side job. Diapers never bothered me, tantrums were just a normal part of learning, and the messes were cleaned after the kids were bathed and tucked in bed with time to spare before the parents would come home from their date night to a spotless house and sleeping children.

Then there came the first few years of marriage where everyone around us was having children, but we just weren’t ready yet. We knew we wanted at least a couple years to transition into our incredible life together before adding to our family. I loved being around these young families. Even though they constantly reminded me how I would “never understand until I was a mom,” I still immersed myself in their environment. I’m learning to roll those types of comments off my back, but at the time I swore I knew what motherhood was all about!! They just didn’t know how much experience I had with kids.

Now I know what they meant. These comments weren’t made to be rude, even if my insecurities interpreted them that way, they were just matter-of-fact. There is something about being a mom that is absolutely undefinable until you actually experience it. There is an unexplainable love and calling on our lives as women that cannot fully be grasped or understood until becoming a mom.

Along with playing with dolls and practicing being a mommy, I always turned my desk into a bank, grocery store, or local business. I longed to own my own business one day. It is such a crazy dichotomy, this world we live in. We have come so far in women’s rights and equality in the workplace, and yet that tug on our heart strings yearns for a family.

I have always thought it was possible to be a working mom. My mom stayed at home until we were in elementary school when she returned to working full time. In my mind, that seemed ideal: I would get to be home during the crucial developmental stages and when my kids were gone part of the day at school, I’d be gone to work and be off in time to pick them up or meet them at home. Is this picture even possible anymore? It’s a nice thought, but with the amount of competition that exists in the work force, you’re always replaceable. What boss is going to let you tailor your schedule to meet your family’s needs, when you could either stick your kids in daycare or there is someone else that will willingly take your place?

As I neared the end of finishing my business degree, with this cutthroat corporate chain reality, the idea of being a salon professional became more appealing. I could build my business, make my own schedule, while still being a mom when the time came, and when the kids got older I could eventually open my own salon. This is now my reality. The ironic thing is there still seems to be a level of exhaustion and stress from dividing my time. I understand my situation is more ideal than most, but the reality is that until my son came in to the world I never would have imagined how difficult it would be to leave him every time I go to work. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do, and I love the relationships I have with my salon guests, but my heart now understands why I was called to be the nurturer of this precious little life; what a huge responsibility, what an honor!

I am a part of this incredible group of moms and we’re reading The Mission of Motherhood. This book lays out what the role of a mother was designed to look like. It gets my gut wrenching every time I pick it up. It’s the weirdest sensation. There’s this inner turmoil where part of me wants to throw the book down and stop reading because it seems so “traditional” and old-school, just not the way things can be nowadays. Then there’s this other part of me that can’t put it down because I so badly want to provide this amazing, loving, nurturing, supportive environment for my son’s soul. Although the author repeatedly suggests she supports the idea of working moms, it creates a separation anxiety between my two worlds. What I realized today when reading, in order to have peace in this division, I must rest in each role; I must completely give up myself despite society’s push toward pampering and independence. Rather than thinking I need or deserve my own time, rather than wishing my son would fall asleep “on schedule” so I could get some sleep or get something done, I am deciding to let go.

I am deciding to enjoy each moment with him even more than I did before. I am deciding to think ahead of the day what we will do while he’s awake to teach him, stimulate his creativity, and develop his senses. I am deciding to savor every moment, even the screaming, flailing-arms-and-legs-teething moments, as my opportunity to comfort him and soothe his mind, body, and tender unadulterated spirit. I am Mommy for a reason. Even though society tells me to use a “learning” program as the best babysitter, I will teach him these crucial lessons not the television.

All these ideas were what I knew in my heart I wanted to do when we chose to start our family, but in the midst of a chaotic world of running around trying to balance everything, I was beginning to to settle into the “exhausted mom” category, thinking I deserve a break or a day to relax. It’s amazing what a simple shift of perspective does to the soul! Back on track with this renewed mind, I have had the most rewarding day so far. I was actually a little sad when it was nap time because I was having so much fun with my munchkin. We’ve never had sleep issues, but the past few weeks have been a huge struggle putting my 7 month old down for naps. I was just trying and trying, and he was fighting and fighting. Today I hardly had to do anything and he was out! Hhmmm? Could it be because I put my distractions away, was more present and intentional with my time, and therefore wasn’t passing on my anxious tension? Just a thought. We’ll see how everything goes tomorrow.

We’ll, until my munchkin’s next nap time I hope this encourages you to find your purpose and be intentional with your day. Even if you don’t have kids, be intentional with your relationships. I couldn’t get through life without my friends. I appreciate each one for her unique personality, wisdom, and sense of humor.

P.S. If you want kids one day, evaluate these ideas before you get started, it’ll save you some stress when the time comes. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish when there’s a plan; it’s amazing how flexible you can be with your time! Don’t forget to smile!

Juicing: you either love it or think its a rediculous dieting fad and refuse to get on the bandwagon- if you have tried it, you wonder why you didn’t start sooner. This mom-on-the-go has figured out how to make it work in her crazy schedule, and I’m here to give you some pointers so it’s not as intimidating.

Yes, the juicer is a pain to clean! Yes, you have to actually grocery shop! Yes, you have to plan your meals more than 5 minutes before you eat! BUT, here’s the thing, you have more energy than ever before and rarely need added caffeine. Unless of course you have a 7 month old who sometimes decides to wake up every 2 hours at night and then be up for the day a few hours earlier than normal,then, by all means, you’ll need that cup of coffee like I did this morning. Otherwise, you can replace that morning coffee and afternoon pick me up with juice and be set for the day. Just think about it, they didn’t have Starbucks, Monster, or 5-hour Energy shots at the beginning of time– not even a couple hundred years ago, for that matter.

Maybe they didn’t have fancy juicers either, but they certainly ate a lot better than we do, with fast food and processed easy-fix meals at our disposal.

Juice For the Health of It was the name of a juice bar around the corner from the house I grew up in. That was almost 20 years ago, so the is not a new concept, it just took me this long to finally catch the vision.

I started juicing before I got pregnant. Unfortunately, the smell or even thought of fruits and vegetables sent me running for the nearest toilet because of my “all-day” sickness. Now that we have a son important life decisions start coming up like life insurance and Wills, and I want to make sure I’m doing my part to stay healthy and teach him good eating habits as well. So here I am, about a year and a half later, excited to get back at it. I’m only two weeks in, and feeling fantastic!

For those skeptics out there afraid of starving, like I was, you don’t have to replace meals in order to juice. That’s such a misconception. You can use it that way, or you can cleanse, or even fast, or you can do what I do and just add it into your regular routine. Juicing basically takes all the important nutrients in fruits and vegetables, gets rid of the seeds, skin, and other fibers that are difficult for your body to digest, and gives your bloodstream a quick boost of all the vitamins and benefits they have to offer. This doesn’t mean eliminating these in whole form completely; your body does need some of those fibers. It is much more difficult to eat enough produce in a day to get the amount of nutrients your body needs than it is to just drink juice.

I like to drink a nice cold glass in the morning to kick start my metabolism for the day. I drink a tall glass of water right after and about 30 minutes later eat breakfast. Half way into my day when I get the lull, I drink another glass to get me over the hump.

If you’re already juicing and want to see some of my latest favorites, scroll to the bottom, otherwise before you start juicing you’ll need some of the basics to set you up for success.

1. A good juicer- find one in your price range obviously, but I’m loving our Breville! There’s hardly any prep; unless its pineapple or something with a hard rind like watermelon: just wash, cut small enough to fit into the machine, let the magic happen. Ok, sorry for the cheese.
2. Get airtight storage containers. Nutrients begin to evaporate after about 15 minutes of open air. I bought a two-pack of 20 ounce containers for under $20 at Costco. I make one veggie/”green” and one fruit, and they last me and my husband almost the whole week.
3. Find the most affordable local resource for fresh produce. I like Sprouts or this other local market near by because we really don’t have a good farmers market near where we live. You don’t have to buy organic, although I’m all for it, don’t let that limit you.
4. Start juicing! There’s no rocket science to it. Anything goes. If it looks good, try it. Ask friends for recipes. Look online. I have a book I use called The Everything Juicing Book that goes as detailed as listing all the nutritional values of each produce item and what diseases/ailments each targets (i.e. watermelon decreases water retention, bell peppers help lower cholesterol, folic acid helps relieve stress and anxiety, etc.). Just start!
5. Smile: it makes everything more enjoyable.

Until my munchkin’s next nap, I leave you with this quote I heard this weekend that I absolutely loved: “Happiness is about the journey, not the destination”. Enjoy each moment, don’t keep wishing for what’s next. If you have kids, make this something you do together instead of just buying the sugar-packed apple juice or the “sugar free” option loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Teach them what the fruits and vegetables are by using their senses: what colors do they see, shapes, etc? What do they smell like? Get your roommates involved or other friends and family members. Share your successes. Have fun!

Below are the juices I made last week and yesterday. What are some of your favorite recipes? I could use some more ideas!